Most investment portfolios hold market-cap-weighted funds, meaning they hold the largest corporations in the world. Unfortunately, these large companies often don't need capital and aren't the best way to create vibrant local communities. Funding small businesses is a better way to build strong local economies and create jobs.

Worthy is a crowdfunding platform that provides small businesses with loans secured by inventory, accounts receivable, or equipment. At the same time, the company provides investors with a modern app-based approach to investing in "Worthy bonds" that pay a fixed 5% interest rate with a minimum investment of just $10.

Sally Outlaw founded Worthy in 2016 after seeing small businesses struggle with funding challenges. After running a crowdfunding website for entrepreneurs called Peerbackers, she sought to find a way to reward those supporting entrepreneurs with more than a product-based thank you. After a multi-year effort, Worthy was born.

Worthy launched its investment platform in early 2018 and sold approximately $50 million worth of bonds to more than 12,000 investors under Regulation A+. Today, the company loans at least 60% of its assets to small businesses, using the remainder to acquire equity interests in real estate or make other investments.

The platform has the dual goal of helping individuals build a more secure financial future while freeing up more capital for community businesses that form the backbone of local economies.

Worthy has a minimum investment of just $10 and pays a competitive 5% fixed interest rate. And unlike many competitors, investors can withdraw their money at any time into a linked bank account. As a result, investors may find the platform useful as an alternative to their long-term savings accounts – albeit with a higher risk profile than an FDIC-insured account!

The app-driven experience also makes it easy to round-up purchases on a connected debit card to automatically save and track how much you've earned in interest over time. And, of course, you're supporting small businesses with the capital they need to succeed rather than exclusively holding large mega-corporations in a portfolio.

Worthy also has a strong track record of success. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company experienced a "run on the bank" as investors withdrew cash from the platform. The company also restructured a few loans for those who were struggling. And in the end, it successfully navigated the crisis without any losses.

Of course, it's worth noting that Worthy bonds are uninsured investments in small businesses that could experience losses from a default. The company behind worthy also discloses its financial condition regularly in SEC filings, so it may be helpful to review those filings to understand the issuer's financial health before investing.

Worthy provides a streamlined process for anyone to get started with minimal time and effort. After signing up for an account, connect a bank account and begin the funding process. You can also elect to round up purchases on a connected account or set up a recurring investment to automate the savings and investment process.

Worthy provides an easy way to support small businesses and earn a 5% fixed interest rate with any time, penalty-free liquidity. In addition, the company makes it easy to manage these processes with a mobile app and you can view the parent company's overall financial condition at any time by reviewing its SEC filings – making it a very transparent operation.